Perfect Match
by Pearl Byakugan
Summary: NejiSaku: Now that it's a new year, Valentine's is just around the corner! Problem is, love is NOT in the air! However, the Hokage has a plan...a plan for all the shinobis and kunoichis in Konoha!
1. Invitations

**_Ake Mashite Omedeto Gozai Muso! (Happy New Year!) Hello there! Here I am, trying my luck in writing a Naruto fanfic. I am only in the 154th episode. Curry of Life! Anyways, please forgive me if I had a mistake in the timeline, names spelled wrong and such. I want this story to be posted on January 1 so it will be finished on February 14. I will try to do it and try to update every week, I suppose._**

**_I am also encouraging people to write because it is a fun experience and there's no harm in trying, right? (If you plan to write a NejiSaku fanfic, please do tell me so I could look forward to it.)_**

_**Main Pairing: NejixSakura**_

**_Sub-Pairings: NarutoxHinata, ShikamaruxTemari, LeexTenTen_**

_**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Naruto…if only I knew the owner!**_

**_Summary: It's almost Valentine's Day in Konoha! Not much love is in the air therefore the Hokage has a plan!_**

**_

* * *

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_**Perfect Match**_

_**Chapter One- Invitations**_

_Beep...Beep...Beep!_

The alarm clock continued beeping; its target is the lump in the middle of the bed. The "lump" is under a thick white blanket covered with sakura petals.

_Beep…Beep…Be-_

A hand shot out beneath the blanket and threw the alarm clock across the room, hitting the pale pink wall. It smashed into tiny pieces afterward, springs bouncing around.

"Stupid contraption." Sakura muttered while shifting to a better position. After a few seconds, she shifted yet again.

"Damn. I can't fall asleep." Sakura groaned and sat up, rubbing her eyes and stretching afterward. She then looked around her room. It was simple and neat. Pale pink walls, a mahogany writing table propped against the wall opposite her bed. A creamy white desk lamp, a small calendar and her hitai-ate **_(A/N: Did I spell that right?)_** were the only items on her writing table. Other items were in the drawers of the table. Sakura's closet was on the left of her writing table. It was not that big, just enough to accommodate her clothes. The whole right side of the bed was flushed against the wall, where the window is located. Of course, on the windowsill, three framed pictures are perched. The first one from the left is a picture of Sakura's parents, second is Team 7 and last is Sakura and Ino as kids.

Sakura then looked out the window then pushed the blanket away, which she later regretted because the blanket's warmth suddenly disappeared. Ignoring the slight chill, she got up from the bed and proceeded to slip on the furry bunny slippers that Naruto got for her last Christmas.

_-Flashback-_

"_Sakura-chan!" A voice yelled from afar._

_Sakura's head shot up at once, forgetting that she was healing a patient. "Naruto," she murmured his name as a smile found its way to her face._

"_Sakura-chan!" A little louder now, he must be near._

_Sakura turned to her patient and healed the last bit of her patient's injuries. "Kiba-san, you are all healed. You can get out tomorrow. I hope Akamaru gets well soon."_

_A small smile and an "Arigato, Sakura-san" was what she received as she reached for the doorknob._

"_Sakura-chan!" The door suddenly burst open and in came Naruto. He must have sensed my chakra, Sakura thought wistfully._

_Sakura playfully bonked Naruto on the head. "Don't shout in the hospital!" Sakura said with a smile._

"_Sakura-chan! I want to give you your gift!" Naruto exclaimed and thrust a crudely wrapped present in Sakura's direction then started hugging her._

"_Naruto! Thank you, but Christmas is still four days away!" Sakura replied, while pulling herself from Naruto's death grip._

"_I have a mission together with Hinata-san and Shino tomorrow."_

"_Is it dangerous?" Sakura asked with worry._

"_Not at all. It's C-rank. Hopefully, we would be back before Christmas but I just wanted to give this because there's a chance that we would be delayed."_

"_Oh. Just come back soon, alright?" _

"_Hai, Sakura-chan!" Naruto hugged her once again. "I better go pack. See you soon, Sakura-chan!" Naruto ran down the corridor before turning back to face Sakura and giving one of his fox grins._

_-End of Flashback-_

Sakura smiled at the thought of her hyperactive friend. Remembering that she had set the alarm clock so she would get used to waking up early, she gasped and turned around to see the remains of her clock.

"Kami-sama, help me. That was the last alarm clock that I have." Sakura stared helplessly at the fragments of her clock, willing them to piece back together. She remembered all ten alarm clocks that her mom gave her. Wait until her mom learns that all clocks have been smashed. All ten alarm clocks smashed by New Year.

Sakura went out the bedroom door and walked down the hall towards the bathroom. It was not that far since the apartment was not very big. As she reached the bathroom, she went in and flicked on the light. She looked at her reflection. Green eyes stared back at her. Her pink hair stands out the most. Usually it was her forehead, but as she got older, her forehead did not seem so huge anymore. Her pale yellow shirt and shorts, which she considers as pajamas, seems to make her look bright. _Like a light bulb,_ Sakura thought. Sakura felt a little groggy for yesterday was New Year's Eve and she and her friends stayed up celebrating.

After using the bathroom, she went out to make breakfast. As she passed by the living room, she saw an envelope sticking halfway under her door. _Is it a bill? I paid everything already._ Sakura went near the door and leaned down to get the envelope. She stood back up, envelope in hand and proceeded to go to the kitchen.

As she walked, she turned the envelope around. Nothing was written except _Haruno Sakura_ on the front. Upon reaching the kitchen, she set the letter down on the counter. She then got a blueberry muffin, which she baked yesterday – well, Hinata helped her. She pulled out a carton of milk and poured it into a glass. After placing the milk carton back in the fridge, Sakura sat on a stool and started to devour the muffin. After eating the muffin, she gulped down her milk.

That was when Sakura started to open the envelope. _It isn't even sealed! _Sakura observed. She then pulled out a card. She read it.

**Haruno Sakura**

**You are selected to join a special **

**class for kunoichis. **

**Do not inform the shinobis**

**about this invitation.**

**Where: 1-A classroom at Konoha Elementary School**

**When: January 21**

**If you are interested, **

**please attend.**

_Special class only for kunoichis? _Sakura's brow furrowed. _Should I go?_ Sakura weighed her options. _It would not hurt if I went. I might actually learn something new. _Sakura looked at the Hokage's stamp below the words _please attend_. _Does Tsunade-shishou have another thing to teach? Oh well, I would soon know the answers to my questions anyway. _Seeming to be satisfied with her own answer, Sakura smiled and slipped back the letter into the envelope.

* * *

Many other female shinobis received this same invitation. A shocked expression followed by a loud squeal was Ino's reaction. A little gasp escaped Hinata as she read it. Temari, meanwhile raised her eyebrow at the invitation. TenTen quickly smiled and tucked the invitation away. The rest of Konoha's female shinobis received the same thing and they all had different reactions.

* * *

Ino immediately dove for the phone, dialed a number and waited while it rang. _Come on, please don't be sleeping. If you are, I am-_

"Hello? Haruno Sakura's residence."

"Forehead girl! Did you get it?"

"Ino-pig! I thought we stopped calling each other names!" A very annoyed Sakura replied.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot. Anyways, did you get it?"

"It's the invitation from Tsunade-shishou, right?"

"Yes. I knew you got it."

"Yes. I believe Tsunade-shishou gave invitations to every female shinobi in Konoha."

"Want to go out and ask the others if they received it as well?" Ino's tone of voice sounded like _you'd better say yes, or else._

"All right. But-"

Ino interrupted Sakura. "Good. I'll get dressed then I'll go and ask TenTen. I'll call Temari first, of course."

"Ino-"

Ino ignored Sakura as usual. "You just go and ask Hinata. You live nearer to her anyway. Tell her hi for me."

Sakura sighed. She will never get Ino to listen to her. "Same to Temari and TenTen."

"Okay. We'll meet at the new café that opened across the Yamanaka Shop. Bye!"

"…Ino?"

"What?" The nonchalant voice of Ino came back.

"… Thank you for being a good friend all these years." The hesitance in Sakura's voice was evident.

A slight pause.

"…..Welcome. Thanks as well, Sakura." Ino was truly shocked, but then a smile found its way to her face.

Sakura felt happier. "You are welcome as well." Sakura giggled, which made Ino giggle as well. "Bye, Ino."

"See you soon, Sakura."

Click

After hanging up, both Sakura and Ino said, "But sometimes, you can be so annoying, Ino/Sakura!" Mischievous grins were plastered on their faces.

* * *

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**So, what do you think? I know it may be boring but personally, I think that it may have some potential. I hope you people would stick with me until the end of this story. The real plot will uncoil in the third chapter.**_

_**I consider Ino and Sakura's friendship very funny. In your opinion, do you think they are OOC? I did not want them to be OOC so I added a not so OOC line after they hung up.**_

_**I also described the room of Sakura so you would not have a problem in imagining. For the living room and the kitchen, sorry but I did not describe, but I might in the future chapters.**_

_**Oh yeah, if you have any questions, just leave me a message. If you scroll down, you see a few questions that you might ask. I also posted the answers.**_

**_Q: Why is Sakura all alone in her apartment?_**

**_A: Well, Sakura is now living on her own but her parent's house is just near by. She _**

_**learned to be independent.**_

**_Q: Temari is not from Konoha so why is she invited?_**

**_A: She helped Konoha and the Hokage decided that this special class suits a person _**

_**like Temari.**_

**_Q: What is the special class all about?_**

**_A: Even though I would love to tell you, I could not for it is a secret that will be _**

_**revealed later on.**_

**_Any more questions? Oh yes, my username was changed from Shining Dawn to Pearl Byakugan._**

_**Sincerely Yours,**_

**_Dawn or Pearl-chan_**

_**P.S. NejiSaku rocks, ne?**_


	2. Encounters

**_First, I would like to say thank you to Gals Rul, Cherryblossom-Maiden, nejisakura, RedFirePhoenix, Firerose1300, WiShBuRr and paws-bells for reviewing! I really appreciate your reviews and to show my appreciation, I replied to all of you. I hope you don't mind._**

**_Second, please forgive me if this chapter is boring…_**

_**Third, please remember what I told you in the first chapter, it does not hurt to write a story (NejiSaku story would be better!).**_

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…pity me. I have an OC in this chapter._**

* * *

_**Perfect Match**_

_**Chapter Two- Encounters**_

Sakura changed from her pajamas into her casual attire, which she was rarely seen in. Her casual outfit consists of a white shirt with a Sakura blossom at the upper-right corner and a khaki capri with her white tennis shoes. Her only accessory was an anklet that Ino gave last year. Her pink hair was tied back while a few strands framed her face. After applying a little lip gloss **_(A/N: it's strawberry flavor!)_**, Sakura grabbed her wallet and her keys. As she turned to leave, her eyes drifted to the windowsill, where the pictures are. _Sasuke…_ Shaking her head, she quickly exited the bedroom and hurried out the house.

* * *

The ever-present ANBU were so much like statues. Never really moving unless necessary. _How could they be so still? I honestly wonder what they would do if they sneezed. _Every time Sakura visited, the feeling of being scrutinized unnerved her. She knows that it's their job to be like that, but still…

Pushing those thoughts aside, she approached the ANBU right in front of the gate and waited for the usual questions that will be asked. She need not wait long.

"Name?" The stoic ANBU asked automatically, not even flinching the least bit.

_It seems like no matter how frequent I come, they still forget my name. _"Haruno Sakura."

Obviously having repeated the same procedure repeatedly, he continued, this time looking directly at her, well, it seemed like it. It was hard to tell with their masks on. "What is your purpose here?"

"I came here to talk with Hinata."

The ANBU nodded curtly and gate opened at once. Sakura went in and saw Mika-san, one of the Hyuuga House's servants.

"Mika-san! How are you?" Sakura asked with a smile on her face.

"Sakura-sama! I-" Upon seeing that Sakura still dislikes being addressed with the sama suffix, Mika immediately corrected herself. "Gomen, Sakura-san. I am alright. Arigato for asking. How are you?" Mika always has a tender smile on her face.

"Never better, Mika-san." Sakura replied brightly.

"I shall go fetch Hinata-sama, then." Mika then looked up. "Would you like me to lead you to the receiving area?"

Sakura smiled once again. "I know the way already, Mika-san. It's alright; you fetch Hinata while I go to the receiving area."

Mika seemed unsure to leave a guest. "Are you sure? You might get lost. You know how big this is." Seeing Sakura nod, she relaxed a little. "Would you like me to get you some refreshments?"

"No need, Mika-san." Sakura replied with a soft smile. _Mika-san sure loves to make sure that her guests are comfortable. She's very hospitable. _

With that, Mika-san slightly bowed and went to get Hinata. Sakura then started walking towards the receiving area. _I wonder if Ino's done calling Temari and getting TenTen. Knowing Ino, she'll talk to Temari for a while. _While she was deeply immersed in her thoughts, she was startled when someone spoke.

"You should watch where your going, Haruno-san." A deep voice quietly said.

Sakura immediately looked up and knew it was a mistake for she was very near him and she drowned in those silver white eyes of his. Whenever Sakura saw Neji, his eyes affect her most. His eyes appear emotionless, but if you get a good look, you see something else. After recovering from her shock, she proceeded to greet him.

"G-good morning, Ne-Neji-san." Sakura stammered as she looked away.

"Likewise."

Sakura tried to make a light conversation. "So Neji-san, are you going to train?"

"Hn."

"I know a place where you can train without getting interrupted. It's where Team 7 used to train in. It's really secluded and…" Sakura abruptly stopped. _What's wrong with me? I must have looked like a blabbering idiot._ Sakura immediately tried to correct herself. "If you want, I could show it to you sometime."

"Hn."

_So much for a conversation, _Sakura thought as she inwardly sighed. _Let's try one more time. _"So, is your shoulder still causing you discomfort?"

"Iie."

Sakura decided on giving up.She dared to look at Neji once again, trying her hardest NOT to drown in those wonderful eyes of his again. "Alright then, I better get going. See you around, Neji-san."

"Hn." He nodded slightly and started walking away. Sakura stared at his back until he disappeared from her view. Suddenly remembering that she has to rush to the receiving area, she muttered a curse word and rushed towards the said area.

* * *

**Neji's Side (But not necessarily his thoughts)**

As Neji was walking towards the gate, he sensed someone's chakra. It felt familiar. He quickly activated his Byakugan and easily saw the "stranger". She was walking towards his direction. He deactivated his Byakugan as quickly as he activated it.

Neji noticed that Sakura was deeply immersed in her thoughts. Seeing that she would bump into him, he spoke quietly. "You should watch where your going, Haruno-san."

She looked up and much as he hated to admit, he couldn't seem to look away from those emerald green eyes of hers. Of course, being a Hyuuga, he remained impassive.

"G-good morning, Ne-Neji-san." Sakura stammered as she looked away.

_She sounds like Hinata-sama. _Although he wanted to smirk, he decided against it. Therefore, he remained in his emotionless look. "Likewise."

"So Neji-san, are you going to train?"

"Hn."

"I know a place where you can train without getting interrupted. It's where Team Seven used to train in. It's really secluded and…" She stopped for a moment. "If you want, I could show it to you sometime."

His response was the usual. "Hn."

"So, is your shoulder still causing you discomfort?"

"Iie." Thanks to her healing abilities, that is.

At the mention of his shoulder, he remembered the mission last week that caused it.

Last week, he was on a B-rank mission with Kiba and Lee. They were going to Sand to retrieve a very important scroll. The way to Sand was uneventful, but when they retrieved the scroll and started heading back, they were ambushed 2 times. The first ambush was not so dangerous. Neji easily detected all five of them with his Byakugan. The enemy nins showered Neji's team with kunais and shurikens which Neji deflected by using his Hakkeshou Kaiten. The enemy nins suddenly retreated. No one was hurt in that encounter.

On the second encounter, Neji spotted them again with his Byakugan, while signaling Kiba and Lee; he caught a kunai aimed for his heart. He quickly aimed with deadly accuracy and a muffled groan was heard. At once, around 50 of them got out. They were Sound shinobis. In the end, Neji's team prevailed but not without a price. Lee had a broken leg and a few cuts and bruises while Kiba had a deep gash on his stomach and his chakra level was obviously low. Neji's old wound re-opened and was bleeding profusely. They decided not to rest and go on until they reached Konoha.

Once they reached Konoha, they were immediately sent to the hospital. As usual, Sakura was there. She was the only one he allowed to even get near him. She is the top medic, after all.

"Alright then, I better get going. See you around, Neji-san."

"Hn." He nodded slightly and started walking away.

* * *

Sakura burst into the room, relieved that Hinata was not there yet. She crossed the room and sat on the plush white seat. It was a good thing she sat because the door slid open, revealing Hinata.

"Sakura-san! Have I kept you waiting?" Hinata asked while smiling warmly at Sakura.

"Don't worry, I just got here myself." Sakura smiled back.

Hinata's eyebrows furrowed. "You didn't get lost, did you?"

"No, it's a long story, believe me." Sakura sighed and waited for Hinata to sit down before continuing. "Hinata, did you receive an invitation from Tsunade-shishou?"

Hinata's eyes diverted from the coffee table to Sakura. "You did too?"

"Of course. I believe she sent an invitation to all kunoichis in Konoha." After seeing Hinata nod, Sakura continued. "That's basically why I'm here. Ino invited us to go to a café across the Yamanaka Flower Shop so we can talk."

"I see."

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's go to the café. We don't want a complaining Ino saying that we're late, now would we?" Sakura stood up and extended a hand towards Hinata.

* * *

"I thought that we were the ones who were late." Sakura muttered. "Seems like we were the ones who arrived early."

Sakura and Hinata stepped in the café and went around tables, chairs and people. Finding a corner booth, Sakura and Hinata slid in.

"Sakura! Hinata!"

Sakura and Hinata turned and saw Ino and TenTen making their way towards them. Ino was wearing a purple tank top and black shorts. Her hair was still tied up high and still long. On the other hand, TenTen was wearing her usual pink top but this time she wore brown shorts. Her hair was still in two buns.

Ino slid in next to Sakura and TenTen slid in next to Hinata.

"All that walking made me tired. Let's order!" Ino called a waiter over. The waiter gave all four of them menus. After saying their orders, the waiter hurried away.

Ino turned to Sakura. "Temari got an invitation as well."

Sakura raised a brow. "Really? That's great but do you think she'll come?"

Ino just shrugged. "I asked her but she didn't give me a direct answer. 'Maybe' was all she said."

"I see."

TenTen spoke up. "Are we going to go?"

Sakura answered. "No harm in going, right? We might actually learn something new."

Ino nodded. "But why can't we tell the shinobis about this? I wonder if it concerns them."

Hinata spoke quietly. "They won't teach us how to seduce, will they?"

Sakura froze. "I don't think so. Well, I hope not."

Everyone was silent for a while, thinking of what they would learn in the special class. Ino decided to change the topic.

"You know what? On the way here with TenTen, guess who bumped into." Ino had a weird grin on her face.

Sakura knew this smile. "Shikamaru?"

Ino smiled more brightly. "Yep! We bumped into someone else too. Guess who?" This time, TenTen was blushing lightly.

This time, Hinata guessed. "Lee-san?"

TenTen blushed a little more. Ino grinned. "Yes! Talk about coincidences!"

Sakura turned her head in time to see a waiter coming towards them. "Looks like our orders have arrived."

Ino turned. Her eyes slightly glazed over. "He looks hot."

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me." The waiter stopped at their table and placed Hinata's order in front her, which was a warm Mocha Latte, the mildest. Sakura's order, which was a Cappuccino, was placed before her. Ino's order, a Coffee Americano, was set down and TenTen's Irish coffee was placed in front of her as well.

All the girls drank their coffees quietly. After a minute of silence, Ino broke it.

"So, let's talk about something."

"Like what?" TenTen inquired.

Ino's eyes momentarily glazed over. "Like…Boys!"

Sakura sighed…_Here we go again._

"Let's see…" Ino said while tapping the table with her periwinkle nails. "I know! TenTen, what do you see in Lee?"

TenTen accidentally dropped her cup but thanks to Hinata's fast reflexes, the cup was caught, spilling only a few of the contents.

"What do you mean?" TenTen managed to sputter out.

Ino grinned. "You know what I mean."

TenTen sighed. "I don't really know what _I_ see in him but I …I just like him. I guess it's because of…of our constant togetherness that brought us closer." TenTen looked up and continued. "I have to admit, I liked Neji at first." Before Ino could speak, TenTen beat her to it. "I stopped liking him because I don't think that it would work. I mean, he just treated me like a sister." Before Ino could even open her mouth, once again TenTen beat her to it. "I'm not disappointed. Well, maybe or a while. But that event caused me to get to know Lee better… but I don't know if he feels the same way about me or…or if he thinks of me as a sister to him as well."

Silence caught up with them once more.

Halfway into her Cappuccino, Sakura tried this time.

"How about Shikamaru, Ino?"

Ino placed her cup down. "Well, I like him…a lot. I obviously can't tell if he likes me back since he is a lazy bum. All he cares for is sleep and cloud-watching."

Sakura turned to Hinata. "Hinata?"

Hinata looked up from her cup. She looked startled. "Me?"

Ino spoke up this time. "What do you see in Naruto?"

Hinata turned a very deep shade of red. "We-well, I ummmm… I like h-him… a lot. He's ve-very de-determined a-and-" Hinata was getting redder and she looked like she was going to faint.

"That's alright, Hinata. You don't need to say everything." TenTen interrupted.

"Your turn, Sakura."

All eyes were on her. "My turn?"

Ino nodded. "Fine, I'll rephrase the question. Is there any guy in Konoha whom you like?"

Sakura pondered over the question. Was there anyone? "I don't think so."

Ino frowned. "Come on! There must be someone out th-"

Kurenai suddenly appeared. "Sorry for disturbing you but the Hokage has sent me." Focusing on Ino and Hinata, Kurenai continued. "Hyuuga Hinata, Yamanaka Ino, you have a mission. Please go to the Hokage's office to get the details for the mission." With that, she disappeared.

Ino and Hinata stood up at once, abandoning their drinks. Ino spoke up.

"I might be busy with the mission so goodbye in advance." A small smile was on her face as she hastily pulled out a few bills for her coffee.

Hinata also bid goodbye while placing some money on the table for her coffee.

Before disappearing, Ino winked and said, "See you guys at the 'meeting'!"

TenTen and Sakura did not stay long afterwards. They talked a little more about the new jutsus and skills that they learned and after a while, they decided to just go home.

After paying and bidding each other goodbye, they went on their separate ways.

While walking home, Sakura contemplated on the question that Ino asked her a while back. _Do I like anyone at all? _Sakura started to mentally list down all the possible candidates. Naruto, Kiba, Lee, Shikamaru, Chouji, Shino are good friends, none of them were more than that. She racked her brain for more names ad remembered some, but she was not interested in them in "that" way. It's just that she felt that she forgot someone.

When Sakura reached her home, she decided to re-organize her living room. After re-organizing, Sakura picked up a box full of stuff that she did not really need. She decided to give them to Konoha's Local Orphanage.

A happy Sakura reached her home, glad that she made the kids happy with stuff that proved to be useful to them. Sakura fixed a sandwich as her dinner, all the while humming. After eating, Sakura changed into matching pink sleeveless top and shorts. Lying on the bed, it suddenly dawned onto her; it's as if she was splashed with ice water. How could she forget him? _Neji. What's the use of remembering his name? He's just a friend, right? _Suddenly, Sakura was unsure. _He doesn't even like me. _

After a while of Is-Neji-More-Than-A-Friend pondering, Sakura decided to just sleep. When she closed her eyes, all she could see were those silver white eyes of _his._ She opened her eyes once again. _What's wrong with me? Shouldn't I still be pining over Sasuke? Shouldn't I close my eyes just to see those onyx eyes? _

Finally tired from her inner debate, Sakura fell asleep-dreaming of those eyes

Those pearl eyes.

* * *

Little does Sakura know, in the Hyuuga House, someone was having trouble taking those emerald eyes out of his mind.

Neji inhaled sharply. This was the umpteenth time he closed his eyes and saw those eyes. Why was this happening to him anyway? He barely knew the girl. They only talked whenever he was admitted in the hospital. After all, Sakura was the only medic that he actually allowed to even get near him.

After meditating a while, he finally was able to fall asleep.

He was able to fall asleep dreaming.

Dreaming of those eyes.

Those deep emerald eyes.

_**To be Continued…**_

**_Phew! That was tiring, but fun. It may be boring and a bit rushed, especially on their emotions and all._**

_**Q and A Portion:**_

**_Q: Will Hinata and Ino make it to the "meeting"?_**

_**A: Yes.**_

_**Q: Will you make this a ShikamaruxIno because I read the part where Ino says that she likes him?**_

_**A: I wrote the pairings on the first chapter and I don't intend to change it.**_

_**If you have other questions, please leave a message.**_

**_I know that Neji and Sakura's feelings are a bit rushed and for that, I am sorry. Long chapter, ne? It was supposed to be half of all this but I thought, "Why not just combine two chapters together?" I hope it is enough for now. The "meeting" will be on the third chapter._**

_**On my birthday, I will post a NejiSaku one-shot so be ready.**_

_**I would really love to hear from you. Go on…**_

_**Sincerely Yours,**_

_**Pearl-chan**_

_**P.S. Always remember that NejiSaku rocks!!!**_


	3. Hokage's Plan

_**If you have time, please go to my profile, scroll all the way down to the section labeled Just My Thoughts…Ideas…, and read it. If you have time and have absolutely nothing to do, that is.**_

_**Thanks for reviewing: SweetAssassin, TheFoxGirlKitsune, low-ponytail, SpeedDemon315, Alaina-san, Kuroi Rozu, Forehead-Girl and hot-ninja-babe!**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…if I did, I would not be writing fanfictions, for it would be shown in Naruto instead.**_

* * *

_**Perfect Match**_

_**Chapter Three- Hokage's Plan**_

"Go on in." Kurenai-sensei said after handing back the invitation and scribbling away in her checklist.

Sakura smiled tentatively and nodded. After taking in a deep breath, she opened the door and walked in.

Many kunoichis were already there. They were all seated, trying to look proper and all but you can see the boredom in their eyes.

"Sakura!" Someone shouted.

Sakura turned to see Ino, Hinata and TenTen already there.

"Hi!" Sakura walked towards them. After she joined them, they chatted for a while about their current missions. Their talk was interrupted though.

The doors slid open…revealing non-other than…Shizune?

"Shizune-san?" Sakura stared in disbelief.

Shizune looked in her direction and half-smiled. She looked a little bare without TonTon.

As Shizune entered the room, all conversations stopped all together.

"Good morning to all of you," Shizune said as she scanned the faces in the room. "I see that almost all of you came. That's good. I came here to make a very important announce-"

She was interrupted when the door slid open to reveal Temari. "My apologies for interrupting. The trip here was longer than I thought." Temari said, smirking.

Shizune smiled. "It's alright. Come and have a seat."

After Temari had seated beside Sakura, Shizune continued. "As I was saying, I have an important announcement to make, and that is to tell you that we have invited you here to do something really special. You see, the Hokage observed that nowadays, people in Konoha would rather have missions than go on dates, thus lowering Konoha's population and love in the air."

A few whispers filled the room and someone spoke up. "What does this have to do with our being here?"

"Good question. We invited all kunoichis here today because we have a plan. I will explain each step of the plan as we go." With that said, Shizune motioned to a box. "Inside this box, there are slips of paper. You will each pick one and written on it is a shinobi's name." She picked the box up and started passing it. "Each one of you should pick one."

All eyes were on the box, as it was passed around. When the box was back in Shizune's hands, she gave the signal. "You may now open them."

Gasps were heard. Including Hinata's, Ino's and TenTen's. Sakura, on the other hand, just remained silent.

Written on TenTen's paper were two words: **Rock Lee**

On Hinata's: **Uzumaki Naruto**

On Temari's: **Nara Shikamaru**

On Ino's: **Akamichi Chouji**

Sakura kept on staring at the bold words on her paper.

Shizune cleared her throat. "You must be wondering why I asked you to pick a slip of paper from the box. Within two weeks, you must be able to make three gifts for the person you picked. It must be hand-made, not store-bought."

Kunoichis groaned at this. Who has time to do hand-made stuff when there are missions to complete?

"After two weeks, we meet here again and then I will tell you what you have to do next." Shizune smiled. "Alright, good-bye and good luck everyone. Remember, not a word to the shinobis!"

"I can't believe it! I just can't! I got Chouji!! This can't be happening!" Ino exclaimed as they got out.

"You got Chouji? What the hell?" TenTen asked in disbelief. "I couldn't believe mine either. Imagine, I have to make three home-made gifts for Lee!"

Ino stared at her and chuckled. "I didn't know you got Lee! So what are you going to make him? Three multi-colored spandexes?"

"Good idea, Ino." TenTen said sarcastically.

Ino turned to Temari and asked. "So, who did you get?"

Temari answered back nonchalantly. "Nara Shikamaru."

"You got Shika? Well, well, now is your chance to woo him with your uber-cool home-made specialties!" Ino then smirked wickedly. "I know you have a crush on him since last year. I noticed, you know."

TenTen turned to Temari, who was as red as a red Washington apple. People usually compare it with a tomato, so Pearl-chan decided to be different. By the way, being red as a Washington apple is a shade lighter than that of a tomato's, or so Pearl-chan thinks. "You like Shikamaru, Temari? I never knew! You never told me!"

Seeing that Sakura was a little detached, Ino decided to bring the pink-haired kunoichi back to reality. "Hey, Sakura? Back from lalaland?" Ino brought her hand to Sakura's face and waved.

In a second, Sakura blinked and turned to Ino. "What was that for?"

Ino sighed. "You spaced out. Are you alright?" Seeing Sakura nod, Ino continued. "So, who did you get?"

Sakura handed Ino the paper. Sakura looked as Ino unfolded the paper.

Silence…then…

"What the heck!!! Sakura! You got… Oh my God! Never in my life would I guess… Holy cow! This is shocking…" Ino left every sentence unfinished…well, almost everything.

This spontaneous exclamation caught the attention of TenTen and Temari, who went nearer to Ino to have a look. A few other kunoichis looked in their direction too, having obviously heard Ino's exclamation.

"What's wrong, Ino? You shouted just for a piece of paper?" TenTen said incredulously. "Wait, let me see it." Grabbing the paper, TenTen stared at the two words and her eyes widened. "Oh my God! Kami-sama! You got- How the hell did you- I never thought…"

Temari's curiosity peaked even higher. TenTen's reaction to the small slip of paper was the last straw. She was going to read it. Without saying anything, Temari grabbed the 'paper-that-started-it-all' and read it. She raised one eyebrow up and calmly asked, "What's wrong with Sakura getting Hyuuga Neji?"

TenTen and Ino looked at her, shocked that she found this 'shell-shocking-to-the-core' information not very…uhhh…shocking!

"How can you not be shocked? Sakura got _the_ Hyuuga Neji." TenTen stated.

"TenTen's right. We both expected Sasuke or someone else, but never Hyuuga Neji." Ino declared.

"I don't see anything wrong." Temari plainly stated.

"You cannot understand the complexity of the situation because you rarely visit Konoha, by which means that you do not know who Hyuuga Neji is." Ino tried to explain to Temari the absurdity of the situation.

TenTen nodded. "True, true. I have been teammates with Neji since our Genin years and I never saw him crack a smile. This would be a really hard thing for Sakura to pull."

Temari just shrugged as she gave the paper back to Sakura. "There's a first for everything."

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Ino and TenTen went on talking, as if nothing happened.

Ino suddenly had an idea. "Want to go to my house tomorrow so we can brainstorm? Four heads are better than one!"

After setting up a time, they parted ways.

As Sakura walked back to her place, she was deep in thought. _Will four heads be enough to think of a gift for Neji-san? I should hope so…_

Sakura sensed someone coming. Looking up, she saw Neji. A light bulb appeared in her head. _Maybe I could ask him what he wants! _All of a sudden, the light bulb was switched off as Shizune's words came back.

Cursing the rules, Sakura put on a smile and greeted Neji. "Good morning, Neji-san." This time, she was not stuttering. This time, she was not caught off guard.

Neji stopped and nodded slightly. "Haruno-san."

Sakura was slightly frustrated that he still calls her Haruno-san. Heck, she treated him so many times that you'd think he would at least call her Sakura-san.

"Neji-san, how many times have I told you to please call me Sakura or Sakura-san, at the very least."

"…"

"Please, Neji-san? It would not hurt you to call me by my first name."

"…"

"Please? Pleeeaaassse?"

Neji seemed to consider her request, seeing that she was persistent. "Sakura-san."

Satisfied that her persuasiveness did the trick, Sakura smiled. "That's better," Realizing that she was keeping him from going on his way, wherever it is, Sakura smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Neji-san. I am keeping you from your destination. Have a nice day!"

Neji nodded slightly yet again. "Likewise, Sakura-san." With that, he continued on his way.

_That's funny, _Sakura mused as she continued on her way. _We always bump into each other ever since the meeting at the Hyuuga mansion. Now, I picked his name. What's that? Fate? _Silently laughing at her own joke, she rolled her eyes.

Later, she would learn that her 'joke' would actually prove true.

* * *

_**To be Continued…**_

_**I might put this in hiatus, but I will not take long—I promise. Of course, I need your feedback. Should TenTen listen to Ino's advice and make three multi-colored **__**spandexes?**_

_**I hope this story reaches 30 reviews. You can help me—by reviewing! I really hope you do… Many authors love reviews—I am one of them!**_

_**Lots of love,**_

_**Pearl-chan**_

_**P.S. I hope you don't get sick of me saying this—NejiSaku rules!**_


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